Squad Members Guide (Mass Effect: Andromeda)
General Information This Squad Members Guide details information and strategies corresponding to each of the squad members Ryder can acquire during the course of Mass Effect: Andromeda, including recommendations for use against particular enemy types and a quick reference table. Especially on harder difficulty levels, the proper selection and use of squad members can significantly affect the difficulty of a given mission or assignment. Squad Member Overview Cora Harper Nakmor Drack Jaal Ama Darav Liam Kosta Pelessaria B'Sayle Vetra Nyx Squad Pairing Cora/Drack * An absolute wrecking ball of a team, well-suited to Insanity play by virtue of Cora's ability to heal the team and Drack's resilience, along with the biotic and combat based firepower they bring to the table, which will tear through most defenses easily. * Ranged profiles, such as Infiltrator, or a Soldier focusing on rifles of both the assault and sniper kind, are quite at home with this team. The former can be an excellent support unit, letting Drack and Cora smash the frontlines while picking off targets of opportunity, and the latter can cover them while they distract the opposition. Both profiles are well-suited to exploiting the fact that most enemies will be focusing on Drack and Cora during the fighting. * This combination is perhaps the most ideal with an Adept or Vanguard Ryder, whose own abilities synergize with those of Cora and Drack's. Using Charge and Nova, along with other biotic abilities, in conjunction with those of Cora, will handily clear out entire groups, and Drack's durability and strength in close quarters will be very helpful when facing more powerful enemies. * Major weaknesses of this team are the lack of ranged firepower, given both teammates exclusively wield shotguns, and the focus on close-quarters combat means they are vulnerable at range. While effective once they close the distance, the matter of closing the distance may be a difficult one on higher difficulties, without proper gear, or at lower levels. There is also a notable lack of tech powers, which can be handily made up for with an Engineer Ryder. * Generally speaking, Ryder will want to focus on power evolutions that give Drack and Cora the most crowd control, shielding and health as possible. Cora/Jaal Cora/Liam * Your first team, and arguably your most versatile. Both can off-tank, and both have options for improved shield and armor damage. The only downside is that weapon-wise you have a shotgun and a machine-pistol, leaving Ryder to bring along assault rifles or sniper rifles if you want any long-range attacks. * More importantly, Liam's skill-set is very much a "jack-of-all-trades", with Overload being the go-to for disabling shields, and Frag Grenade being a lot of damage in a large radius, without ammo being a concern. His unique ability Havoc Strike functions a bit like a combat-based Charge, but primes a tech burst. Liam can ostensibly fit into any team and provide useful abilities and tactics. * A useful team in any situation, especially if you can't decide based on skill-set or preference. Cora/Peebee * Peebee lifts and debuffs, while Cora charges in and finishes the job. Simple and effective biotics-heavy squad, but has difficulty in long-range engagements. Cora/Vetra * A versatile team, especially for Sentinel or Vanguard profiles. As a Sentinel you can provide enough tech to support Cora and enough biotics to help Vetra As a Vanguard, having Cora with you takes the edge off of being at point-blank, because she will also be there, allowing for some unique tactics if you have Charge in your loadout. Range might be an issue, but carrying an assault rifle or being skilled at scoping with a pistol fixes this. * Biggest contribution, but dependent on skill selection; Cora can have permanent Cryo Ammo while Vetra can have permanent Disruptor Ammo. Not only does this prime the more difficult combos for you (it's harder to see if an enemy is primed for cryo or tech combos), it also frees up Ryder's consumable slots. You only need to take Incendiary ammo to have all three ammo types covered, regardless of profile. On top of that, if Cora's Rank 6 "Barrier Projection" is chosen, Vetra's tankiness will be further improved as well as yours. Drack/Jaal Drack/Liam Drack/Peebee Drack/Vetra * As the two tankiest companions, this squad will rarely go down in a fight. With Drack at close range and Vetra at close-to-mid range, Ryder can hang back as a sniper and help these two carve a path across the field. Jaal/Liam * Tech-heavy squad. Deals good damage, but Liam is a bit soft and can be vulnerable in extended engagements. Jaal/Peebee Jaal/Vetra * Great squad for a tanky Vanguard Profile. Vetra complements Ryder's biotics with her assault tools up close, while Jaal deals considerable damage from mid-to-long range. At higher levels, Jaal will spend more time using his tech at close ranges, forming a balanced wrecking ball squad. * This build is very good for fighting Architects - both can deal good ranged damage, while Vetra increases Ryder's survivability. Liam/Peebee Liam/Vetra Peebee/Vetra Countering Enemies Given how combos work in Andromeda (you only need a source and a detonator, they can be of any type), you don't need to think as much about whether or not you can create combos, but whether they are the OPTIMAL ones. Against enemies like Hydras or Fiends, hard-hitting snipers work if you can keep your distance or shotguns if you are skilled at dodging. Cryo combos can help slow them down, giving you more time to react. Biotic combos against large enemies aren't as effective, since the force of a biotic detonation won't do much. Of course, any combo is better than no combo in this kind of situation, just don't expect to knock huge enemies down. If you're facing "mook-level" mobs like raiders or kett troopers, biotic combos can trivialize those encounters, and fire combos can make them panic, letting you dispose of them with impunity. Against the Remnant, tech combos will be your best friend, since they are heavily shielded and tech combos ruin shields. A viable tactic against groups (any enemy type) involves picking the baddie in the middle to prime for a combo, then detonate the combo, hitting everyone around the baddie. ----- ----- ----- While combos are all well and good, your choice of profile will influence what kind of strategy you employ, due the subjective nature or "what works best", this is not meant to be complete, simply a launch-pad to other strategies. A general idea: SOLDIER: use your guns, you have extra health and your guns do more damage. If you have a sniper rifle, use it to soften enemies up, but advance with an assault rifle or shotgun to mid-range to tank hits and continue pouring damage. Marksman's Focus works best if you take out weak enemies first to activate it then use the damage bonus on harder enemies. ENGINEER: your tech mastery can work either at mid-long range or point-blank if you're fast. Your Combat Drone passive gives you benefits while it's "on" but can be used as a decent weapon in it's own right, since it detonates when enemies are close. If you stay at range, keep throwing tech powers as fast as you can, prioritizing defense-removal (i.e. shredding armor or draining shields) and using constructs to keep your numbers up. Your combo damage is increased, but you likely won't have any biotics, so reliance on tech limits you to Fire, Cryo, and Tech bursts. ADEPT: your biotics can constantly double-tap with Biotic Echoes. Setting up and detonating biotic combos should be your number one priority due to the increased radius. Unprotected enemies are the easiest to prime biotically, so use them as "walking bombs" to set off when the time is right. Be warned that the only biotic powers that regenerate shields also put you between close and point-blank range (some passive power choices can mitigate this), so be ready to dodge at a moments notice. SENTINEL: while only your tech powers receive a recharge bonus, ALL of your combo damage is increased, and the Tech Armor passive makes you a much more durable "caster". You can bring biotic primers and tech detonators and all your improved combos can go off that much quicker. Your power restoration works with both tech and biotic powers, so you get more out of powers like Charge or Energy Drain. VANGUARD: the only profile that receives biotic recharge bonuses in addition to melee bonuses, you want to be as close as possible as often as possible. That doesn't mean that you're useless at range, just that you're not getting all the benefits you could be getting. At point-blank ranges, you'll be taking a lot of hits, but you'll be dishing out a lot of hits, and melee attacks with this profile will generate shields for you. INFILTRATOR: almost the opposite of the Vanguard, any weapons that can have scopes become even more powerful in the hands of an Infiltrator, especially if they have piercing mods. Your tech recharge speed is very fast, so if sniping/scoping isn't working, you can throw out some tech powers very quickly. EXPLORER: this one has a bit of everything, but not quite on the same level as the other Profiles. This means you can take any strategy and make it work, filling in gaps in your team's loadout/skillset, and you will never be at a huge disadvantage in any encounter. Category: Guides Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda Category: Squad Members